Kerf-cutting machine



Dec. 21, 1937.

' T. E. PRAY KERF CUTTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 1935 Dec. 21, 1937. PRAY 2,102,743

KERF. CUTTING MI WHINE 7 Filed Nov 22', 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. '21, 1937. T. E. PRAY KERF CUTTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 21, 1937. T. E. PRAY 2,102,743

KERF CUTTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I galf Patented Dec. 21, 193i UN I T E-D STAT E S PA TEN T I 1 OF F 'llC E 2,102,743 KERF-GUTTING- MACHINE Thomas *E -Pray, Chicago, 111., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing'company; Chicago, 5111., a ..:corporaticn of Illinois Application vNovember 22, 19.35,,Seri.a1 No. 51,003

14 Claims. (Cl. 262.28)

This invention relates to improvements in the tilting mechanism, not, heretofore wshown; kerf-cutting machines of thetrack-mounte'd type and adapted. to cut a horizontal keri in the mine wall Figure 8 is a fragmentary transverse sectional along the roof or at various intermediate posiview taken through the drive for the mechanism tions between the roof andfloor. for vertically adjusting thebutting element. 5 Among the objects of my invention are to i In the drawings, .my invention is shown as provide a tilting support for the-cuttingelement being embodied in a iigiinin'g"rnacl' ine 1 of the whereby the cutterbar-may be tilted about a track-mounted typ'earranged for cutting a horitransverse axis .disposedrearwardly of its .rearzon-tal kerf in the mine wall above the ground;

10 ward end, together -,with anovelmeans forcon- Said mining-machine includes a track-mounted 10 trolling tilting movement ofsaidvcuttingelement truck "l ilhaving a turntable l I ,mountedfthereon and permitting limited :yieldable movement of adjacentthe forwarde'nd thereof, Said thruthe cutter bar with'respect to the tilting mechatable forms a support for a cutting element, nism during the cutting operation. Another generally .indicated by reference character, I2,

object of my invention is to provide novel means and also forms ameans for,feedinga' cntterbar 15 for vertically adjusting the cutter bar with rei3 projecting from said cutting elementacross spect to the ground when in various tilted posithe face of the coal. tions. The cutting element I2 includes a motor l l My invention may best be understood with having a frame [5 secured thereto and extendreference to the accompanying drawings ingforwardly therefrom. Said frame formsa 4 wherein: support for the rearward end of said cutterba-r' Figure 1 is a side elevation of a; mining maand forms a housing andsupportmeans for suitchine of the track-mounted type illustrating able gearing, driven bythemotor l l for verticab one form in which my invention may be emlyvadjusting-said cutting ,element with respect bodied; to .saidturntableand; driving a =cu tter chain 16 25 Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of about said cutter bar. 1 the mining machine shown in Figure 1, showing With reference 'now'in particular to the novel the cutting element tilted in a different position means for supporting said cutting element for than in Figure 1; vertical;adjustment with respect to saidturn- .Flgure 3 is anenlarged fragmentary side eletable andforpiyotal movementaboutatrans 30 vation of the-machineshown inn-Figure lwith verseaxis, theuframe I5 is providedwith a pair certain-parts broken away and shown in longiof oppositely disposed bored bosses 11,11 extudinal section in order to more clearly illus tending laterally therefromintermediate theends trate certain details of my invention; thereof. Each ofv said bossesis adapted tohave Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view a bored trunnion support ,mernber .18;m ounte d 35 of the forward-portion of the machine shown thereinand extending laterally therefrom. Each in Figure l, with certain parts broken away and of said ,trunnion support members is held from shown in horizontal section in order toillustrate movement with respect to said frameyin ia suitcertain details of my invention; ablemannerand isjournaled in aside frame I9 40 Figure 5 is an enlarged partial fragmentary of ,a cradle 20 in such a manner that isaid cut 40 detail plan view of one side of the forward porting element may beltilted about a transverse tion of the machine with parts broken away and axis coaxial with the axis of pivotal connection in horizontal section int-order to show certain of saidlbosses to said cradle. As herein shown, details of the tilting mechanism not shown 'in said, trunnion support members areiin the form 46 Figure 4; of sleeves having openings" inithe :lower outer Figure 6 is an, enlarged partial fragmentary portions thereof toaccommodatelsuitable drive .detail plan-view of one :side 'of the forward porgearing for driving the adjusting mechanism, tion of .the machine with parts broken away and a portion of which drive gearingextendsthrough in horizontal section showing: certain ,details of said trunnion support members. 50 the tilting mechanism; not shown 'innFigures 4 .Each sideframe l9 extends along the frame 15 50 and 5; and hasslidableengagement withlongitudinally Figure 7,-:=is' an -enlarged;,-.partial fragmentary spaced guidesurfaces 2|, 2] of a, vertically: exdetail :side elevation :of a portion of the, machine tending guide frame 22 (seeliligure 4), fI'her-porwith .certain'parts brokenslawayianddn, section tionsIofisaidlside frames opposite said guldeisur- .in order. tolsillustrate zlcertaingother .;details of faces arevshoufderedi andthe shouldered portions .55

thereof are adapted to be engaged by suitable inward extensions from racks 23, 23 extending upwardly along and secured to the inner sides of said vertical guide frames adjacent the forward and rearward ends thereof. Thus, said inward extensions from said racks form gibbed guides for uiding said side frame members for vertical movement along said guide frames.

The racks 23, 23 are adapted to be meshed with pinions 24, 24 keyed to opposite ends of parallelspaced longitudinally extending shafts 25, 25. Said shafts are rotatably supported in said cradles on the hubs of said pinions. Each shaft is also journaled intermediate its ends on opposite sides of a worm gear 21 keyed to said shaft in a housing 28 formed integral with said side frame, the upper portion of which housing forms a bearing support means for the trunnion support members 18, I8. Said Worm gears, as herein shown, extend through the open portion of said trunnion support members and are meshed with worms 29, 29 on the outer ends of a transversely extending shaft 36.

The transversely extending shaft 36 is reversely driven from the motor 14 without reversal thereof by means of a helical gear 3| keyed on said transversely extending shaft and driven from a helical pinion 32 mounted on a sleeve 33 coaxial with a longitudinally extending shaft 34. A spur gear 35 is mounted on said sleeve adjacent one of the ends thereof and is meshed with an idler gear 36 which idler gear is meshed with a gear 31 freely mounted on a longitudinally extending shaft 38. A suitable friction clutch 39, herein shown as having oppositely disposed frusto-conical engaging surfaces, is feathered on said shaft for selectively driving the gear 3'! from said shaft. A gear 40 is freely mounted on said shaft on the opposite side of the clutch member 39 from the gear 31. Said gear is adapted to be selectively driven from said shaft from the opposite frusto-conical engaging surface of said clutch member. Said last-mentioned gear meshes with and drives a spur gear 4! V keyed to the end of the sleeve 33 opposite from the spur gear 35. Thus, the transversely extending shaft 36 may be driven from the shaft 38 in opposite directions without reversal thereof for adjustably moving the cradle 26 and cutting'element [2 along the guides 22, 22. fixed relation with respect to said guides by means of the worms 29, 29 and worm gears 21, 21 which are of the usual self-locking type.

The longitudinally extending shaft 38, besides forming a means for vertically adjusting the cutting element 12 in the guides 22, 22, also forms a meansfor driving the cutter chain l6 about the cutter bar I3 through a gear train, generally indicated by reference character 43; and said shaft is driven from the motor 14 by means of a motor pinion 44 meshing with a spur gear 45 keyed to the rearward end of said shaft.

Referring now'particularly to the means for tilting the cradle 20 about the axis of the trunnion' support members l8, l8 and another of the novel features of my invention, each side frame I 9 is provided with a forwardly extending outboard support member 46 which,'together with the tilting mechanism, forms a 'means for connecting said side frames togetherto operate as a unit. Inasmuch as the tilting mechanism connected to each outboard support member is the same,'a description of one will suffice for both.

The outboard support member 46 has an equalizing arm 41 pivotally connected thereto intermediate its ends on a pivotal pin 48. One end of Said cradle is held in" said equalizing arm extends inwardly from said pivotal pin and is provided with a seat 49 for a compression spring 56. The opposite end of said compression spring abutsa seat 5| abutting an under portion of the outboard support member 46. As herein shown, two cap screws 52, 52 extend through the outboard support member 46 and are threaded in the seat 49, and a cap screw 53 extends through the equalizing arm .41 and is threaded in the seat 5 I Thus, the equalizing arm .41 may be yieldably moved about the axis of the pivotal pin 48 and said arm may form a means for equalizing the loads between said frames and permit a limited amount of weaving movement of the cutter bar during the cutting operation.

The means for pivoting said cradle includes a pair of spaced links 54, 54 pivotally connected to opposite sides of the forward end of the equalizing arm 47 on a pivotal pin 55. The lower ends of said links are pivotally connected to pins 56, 56 extending laterally from a member 57. Said last mentioned member is slidably movable in aligned guides 58 and 59 formed integral with a frame member 66 secured to and extending outwardly from the frame I5. 'The member 51 has a shaft 6| threaded therein which shaft is journaled at its rearward end in a bearing 62 mounted in the frame member 60, which frame member also forms a housing for said shaft and for suitable mechanism for rotating the same.

A bevel pinion 63 is keyed on the shaft 6! adjacent the inner side of the bearing 32 and meshes with a bevel pinion 64 on the inner end of a shaft 65. Said shaft is mounted within the hub of a hand wheel 66 and said hand wheel is in turn rotatably mounted in the support frame 65 so that rotation thereofwill rotate said shaft and move the member 57 along the guides 58 and 59. The shafts 6i 6! are connected together to operate as a unit by means of bevel pinions 61, 61 on the outer ends of a transversely extending shaft 69.

Thus, rotation of either of the hand wheels 66, 66 in one direction or another will translationally move the members 51, 51 in the guides 58, 59 and pivot the cutting element l2 about the axis of the trunnion support members l8, l8.

It 'will be seen that said tilting mechanism is so arranged as to permit a limited amount of weaving movement of said cutting element with respect to the cradle during the cutting operation and besides forming a means for tilting the cutting element', also forms a means for connecting thetside frames l9, !9 together to operate as a uni While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction and arrangement of the various parts may be changed or altered without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not Wish to be construed as limiting myself to the precise construction illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting ele ment including a frame having a cutter bar projecting therefrom, means for supporting said cutting element for vertical adjustable movement with respect to said base including a pair of parallel-spaced vertically extending guides mounted on said base, a cradle slidably guided therein, means for adjustably moving said cradle along said guides, a supporting connection between said cradle and cutting element permitting pivotal movement of said cutting element with respect to atta ns saidbase about a horizontal transverse axis extending between the ends of said guides, and means'disposed forwardly of said guides for pivotally moving said cutting element about said transverse axis. 1 y

'2."In a mining machine, "a base, a'cutting ele "mentincluding a frame having a cutter-bar projecting therefrom, means for supporting said cutting element'for vertical adjustment relative to said base including a pair of parallel-spaced verti'cally extending guides mounted on'said base, a cradle slidably guided therein, means for adj ustably moving said cradle along said guides,*a supporting connection between said cradle and cutting element permitting pivotal'movement of said cutting element with respect to-said base about a horizontal transverse axis extending between the endso-f' said guides, and a linkage connection between said cutting'element and the forward end of said cradle for pivotally moving said cutting element about'said transverse axis.

3. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element including a frame having a cutter bar projecting therefrom, means for supporting said cutting element for vertical adjustment relative to saidbase including a pair of parallel-spaced vertically extending guides mounted on said base, a cradle slidably guided therein, means for adjustably moving said cradle along said guides, and a supporting connection between said cradle and cutting element permitting pivotal movement of said cutting element with respect to said base about a horizontal transverse axis extending be tween the ends of said guides comprising an outboard support member extending from said cradle, an arm pivotally-connected thereto intermediate its ends and having yieldable engagement therewith at one of its ends, and means disposed between the opposite end of said arm and cutting element for pivotally moving said cutting element about said transverse axis.

4. In "a mining machine, a base, a cutting element including a frame having a cutter bar projecting therefrom, meansfor supporting said cutting element for vertical adjustment relative to said base including a pair of parallel-spaced vertically-extending guides, a cradle slidably guided therein, means for adjustably moving said cradle along said guides, and a supporting connection between said cradle and cutting element permitting pivotal movement of said cutting element with respect to said base about a horizontal transverse axis extending between the ends of said guides comprising an outboard support member extending from, said cradle, an arm pivotally connected thereto intermediate its ends and having yleldable engagement therewith at one of its ends, a link pivotally connected between the free end of said arm and a member guided in said frame for translational movement with respect thereto, and means for translationally moving said member with respect to said frame.

5. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element including a frame having a cutter bar projecting therefrom, means for supporting said cut-- ting element for vertical adjustment relative to said base including a pair of parallel-spaced vertically extending guides, a cradle including a pair of parallel-spaced side frames disposed on opposite sides of said cutting element and slidably guided in said guides, means for adjustably moving said side frames along said guides, a supporting connection between said side frames and cutting element permitting pivotal movement of said cutting element with respect to said base about a horizontal axis extending betweeir the ends of said g'uides' including 'a pair of parallel-spaced outboard support members extending' forwardly from each of said'side frames, an arm pivotallyconvnected to each of said 'outboardsupport members 1 intermediate its ends and having yieldable engagement therewith at one of its endsjandmovable means disposed between the opposite ends of said arms and cutting element for pivotally moving said cutting element about said transverse axis.

6. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting elementincluding a frame having a motor disposed rearwardly thereof and a cutter bar projecting forwardly therefrom, a pair of parallel-spaced vertically extending guides mounted on said base, a cradle slidably guided therein, a transverse pivotal supporting connection between said cradle and cutting element permitting pivotal movement of said cutting element with respect to said base about'an axis extending between the ends of said guides, means for controlling pivotal movement of said cutting element about said transverse axis, and a drive connection from said motor for vertically moving said cradle along said guides comprising a shaft disposed coaxial with 'the pivotal axis of said cutting element, a pair of parallel-spaced shafts extending along opposite sides of said cutting element and mounted insaid cradle, means on opposite ends of said shaft interengageable with said guides,and drive connections from opposite ends of said transverse shaft to said longitudinally extending shafts.

7. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element including a frame having a-motor disposed guides comprising a shaft disposed coaxial with the pivotal axis of said cutting element, a worm on each end of said shaft, a worm gear meshing with each of said worms, said worm gears being journaled in said cradle on shafts extending longitudinally thereof, said shafts having means thereon interengageable with corresponding means on said guides for moving said frame therealong upon rotation of said shafts.

8. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element having a cutter bar projecting therefrom, a pair of parallel spaced guides extending upwardly from said base, and a cradle for supporting said cutting element for movement along said guides including a pair of parallel spaced side frames, each of said frames having slidable engagement with said guides, and said frames being disposed on each side of and forming a pivotal mounting for said cutting element.

9. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element having a cutter bar projecting therefrom, a pair of parallel spaced guides extending upwardly from said base, and a cradle for supporting said cutting element for movement along said guides including a pair of parallel spaced side' izontal transverse axis extending between the ends of said guides.

10. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element having a cutter bar projecting therefrom, a pair of parallel spaced guides extending upwardly from said base, and a cradle for supporting said cutting element for movement along said guides including a pair of parallel spaced side frames, each of said frames having slidable engagement with said guides, interengaging drive connections between said side frames and guides for adjustably moving said cradle and cutting element with respect to said base in a vertical direction, and a transverse pivotal supporting connection between opposite'sides of said cutting element and said frames.

11. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element including a motor and a projecting chain carrying cutter bar, a pair of parallel spaced guides extending upwardly from said base, and a cradle for supporting said cutting element for movement along said guides including a pair of parallel spaced side framesgeach of said side frames having slidable engagement, with said guides, interengaging drive connections between said side frames and guides for adjustably moving said cradle and cutting element with respect to said base in a vertical direction, a transverse pivotal supporting connection between opposite sides of said cutting element and said frames, and means driven by said motor for actuating said drive connections and vertically moving said cutting element with respect to said base comprising a transverse shaft arranged co-axial with the pivotal axis of said cutting element.

12. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element having a cutter bar projecting therefrom, a pair of parallel spaced guides extending upwardly from said base, and a cradle for supporting said cutting element for movement along said guides including a pair of parallel spaced side frames, each of said side frames having slidable engagement with said guides, and said frames having said cutting element pivotally mounted therebetween for adjustable movement about a horizontal transverse axis extending between said guides, and means for pivotally adjusting said between for adjustable movement about a horcutting element with respect to said'side frames including outboard supporting members extending from said frames forwardly of said guides'and a linkage connection between said outboard supporting members and cutting element.

13. .In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element including a frame having a, cutter bar projectingtherefrom, means for supporting said cutting element for vertical adjustment relative to said base including a pair of parallel-spaced vertically extending guides, a cradle guided in said guides, said cradle including a pair of side frames, one of said frames being disposed on each side of said cutting element and forming a transverse ivotal support therefor intermediate the ends thereof, and means for connecting said side frames together to operate as a unit, said means including said pivotal support between said cutting element and side frames and also including pivoting mechanism mounted on said cutting element on opposite sides thereof and having operative connection with each of said side frames.

14. In a mining machine, a base, a cutting element including a frame having a cutter bar projecting therefrom, means for supporting said cutting element for vertical adjustment relative to said base including a pair of parallel-spaced vertically extending guides, a cradle guided in said guides, said cradle including a pair of side frames, one of said frames being disposed on each side of said cutting element and forming a transverse pivotal support therefor intermediate the ends thereof, and means for connecting said side frames together to operate as a unit, said means including said pivotal support between said cutting element and side frames and also including pivoting mechanism mounted on said cutting element on opposite sides thereof and having operative connection with each of said side frames, and said pivoting mechanism including a pair of arms pivotally connected to said side frames intermediate their ends and having yieldable engagement with said side frames at one of their ends, permitting yieldable pivotal'movement of said cutting element with respect to said side frames.

THOMAS E. PRAY. 

